In 1958, a quartet of girls
christened themselves the Tropicals and began to perform in local Washington DC
clubs. Their repertoire consisted of many of the hits songs of the day and old
favorites that would get an audience up on their feet. The group, all hailing
from the DC area, consisted of sisters Jacqui and Vicki Burton and their
longtime friends Jeanette Talley and Roberta Miller. What the girls wanted more
than anything was to get a recording deal and become stars, but their first
break was a long time coming.

In 1962 they were seen by
Clyde Otis, who offered them his services as their manager and secured a
contract for them with Okeh Records. Before their first visit to a recording
studio, in August 1962, a change of name was required, so the girls became the
Blossoms. The group cut enough tracks for an entire album but only one single,
"I'm In Love", was released. The 45 failed to make any impression and
the girls were released from their contract.

The D.C. Blossoms

Despite their immense
disappointment, they continued to tread the boards. When they heard about the
formation of the new Shrine label, they went along to get themselves a piece of
the action. By this time Roberta had retired due to ill health, leaving the remaining
trio to sign with Shrine. A change of name was required to distinguish them
from Darlene Love's West Coast group, so the girls became the D.C. Blossoms.
Shrine Records released “I Know About Her” b/w “Hey Boy” in 1966, but this
record also failed. The D.C. Blossoms disbanded shortly after this release.

The group included the Cooper sisters, Janette, Debbie, TinaandAngie. They raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and They
started singing in church in the early 1960's as The Little Cooperettes. They
shortened their name to The Cooperettes when they switched to R&B. The
girls were managed by their mother Ethyl Cooper who arranged a recording
contract with Brunswick Records. Their first single “Goodbye School” was a big
seller in Philadelphia in 1966.

Their second 45 “Everything’s Wrong”, released
in 1967, was also a local hit in Philly. This song is a great, mid-tempo
dancer, with a Shirelles feel to
it (interesting since the tune was co-written by WesFarrell, who
penned “Boys”’ for that group).

They traveled all over the USA and did shows in Europe too. Black Soul
Radio Pioneer Sonny Hopson got the group a deal with ABC Records with the
Morris Bailey song “Trouble.”The
sisters also backed up Benny Sigler, Timmy Carr and others. The group disbanded
in the early 1970’s. The Cooperettes had a second wave of popularity with the
Northern Soul scene, when “Shing-A-Ling” was reissued in the UK in 1975. Debbie
Cooper died in 1989 and Ethyl Cooper passed away in 1998.